FlyingHigh wrote:robranisgod wrote:Hazydog wrote:SDK wrote:I fear the rookie draft more than the main draft because it totally wastes a player from the SANFL club.
Any one taken in the main draft I am happy for but the rookie draft ..........
Spot on. And with the added slap in the face that now any player rookie listed to a local AFL club will line up against you next season.
I am sure that all club's have tales of woe, but in the 2005 rookie draft for 2006 season, North lost four players who had been signed to play with the roosters that year. It threw North's recruiting into disarray. Given that they lost the 2006 prelim by 7 points a lot at Prospect blame that rookie draft for at least a Grand Final appearance and maybe a flag.
Who were those players RIG? Not thinking you are making excuses, just curious.
A couple of years before that there were stories Jeremy Clayton had signed with the Eagles but ended up at an AFL club for a season.
North's Achilles heel at that stage was key defenders and they thought that they had resolved that issue until the rookie draft.
Jason Roe, who had been playing in defence for North was rookie listed by Brisbane. Stephen Gilham who had been on Port's list but had been allocated to North whilst playing for Port as used to happen, had signed with North when Port delisted him. He was rookied by Hawthorn and went onto become an AFL premiership player.
North had also signed a Centre Half Back who had played 7 games for Essendon called Sam Hunt who was rookied by Geelong in the same draft. He didn't make it at Geelong, but when he was finally delisted he didn't come to North but instead went to WA where he played a key role in South Fremantle's 2009 premiership win.
In addition Toby Stribling had been delisted by Fremantle and then rerookied and a young ruckman on North's list at the time, Luke McEntee was rookied by Hawthorn.
To attempt to solve the key defender problem brought about by the rookie draft, North then recruited former Glenelg, Hawthorn and Footscray defender, Simon Cox who was well passed his prime. He played OK for North but was overweight and injury prone.
I certainly don't want to take anything away from the Eagles in 2006. They certainly deserved their flag. I just wanted to highlight the damage the rookie draft can do. I guess these days the clubs would have more idea as to who was going to be rookied and have contingencies in place.
I also remember that Clayton had signed for the Eagles from his country Victorian club before being rookied by North Melbourne and playing for them for two years.